Stockport Heritage Trust is a charity set up in 1987 to promote and encourage the regeneration of Stockport's heritage. This blog is a forum for news, discussion, and information.
If you wish to know more contact us at stockportheritage@gmail.com

Sunday, January 29, 2006

DC021825 Erection of a 27m phone mast, Lex Vehicle Leasing, Heathside Park Road, SK3 0RBOrange is applying to erect a 25m mast with 3 panel antennae and 2 0.6 metre dishes (overall height 27m) in the Green Belt. They claim they will mitigate this by planting trees.There is no reference to low-level pulsing at night, which I gather may interrupt sleep patterns. The closest housing is on Kenilworth Road.MapView the application via this link or at Cheadle Library. Supplementary information, Plan 1, Plan 2, and Plan 3.Date of application: 6/1/06End of consultation: 5/2/06

Friday, January 27, 2006

Praise for 'right to roam' ActDavid Bratt, chariman of the Stockport-based Peak & Northern Footpaths Society said,"Some authorities need more than one reminder about out of condition paths, but we find the relatively recent Country and Rights of Way Act 2000 gives our society a powerful legal basis for requesting path are put in order for all walkers to enjoy."

Steering group must fill IKEA voidSTOCKPORT Council will form a special steering group to look at filling the economic void left by Ikea’s decision not to come to the borough.Coun Goddard said: "It will be a major development and we are looking for another flagship company that will bring in a large number of jobs."If possible we want to alleviate the massive potential job losses, especially in Brinnington, which would have benefited greatly."Efforts will be given a major boost by the site being reclassified as a town centre location – and therefore subject to less stringent planning rules – in the new Unitary Development Plan due out in spring.

Hero risks own life to save plunge manWill Brockett, 21, has been hailed a hero by police bosses after rushing into the River Goyt when the man had jumped 100ft off Union Road bridge, New Mills.Miraculously the 40 year-old escaped serious injury but was being dragged under by the current until Will arrived.[This story reminds me of the tales of workers surving falls from the Stockport Railway viaduct during construction.]

The rear of the 19th century former Wellington Inn building, once a refreshment stop for passengers travelling by horse-drawn carriage, was repainted bright yellow after being occupied by the Big Saver shop in December.The building is inside a newly-designated conservation area stretching from St Petersgate to the railway viaduct.Parveen Hakim, the Big Saver owner, said the new colour attracted customers to the discount store and Stockport Council had not objected.A Stockport Council spokesman said the borough could not force the tenants to repaint it but would contact them about advertising on the exterior walls, which needs permission.But landlord Joshua Padwa intends to ask the shop owners to tone down the colour. "In the lease, it specifically states that he should not do anything at all without the landlord’s permission. I will write to the tenants, telling them there’s an outcry," he said.Stockport heritage librarian David Reid said the historic inn, formerly known as the Up and Downer due to its split-level entrances, was built a year or so after Wellington Road, around 1827.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Bredbury-based charity wins HLF grant for historic braille collection. Click on the picture for the full story.

The National Library for the Blind (NLB) has been based in Stockport since 1978. I downloaded the following extract from the historof the NLB from a BBC site.

After a period of relative prosperity, the Library again hit financial problems in the early to mid-1970s as spiralling inflation overtook a fairly static income. Considerable cost savings could be made by combining the London and Manchester operations. It would obviously be economical to move out of high-cost Westminster and to concentrate the whole organisation in lower-cost Manchester. But the Northern Branch building was far too small to house the whole Library and it would not be possible to enlarge or extend it adequately.

It was finally decided that the two service points should be amalgamated but in another building in the Greater Manchester area. The possibilities of erecting a new purpose-built Library were considered but, owing to high building costs and to current difficulties in controlling them during an inevitably lengthy construction period, it was decided that a modern building suitable for conversion should first be sought.

A thorough search for suitable buildings was made across Greater Manchester during 1975 and 1976. The Library's essential needs were for warehouse space suitable for conversion into a book-stack providing 20,000 metres of easily accessible shelving and a large circulation and dispatch department, with offices immediately adjoining, all preferably on one floor. A suitable building was found at Bredbury in Stockport. This was approximately ten years old when found and had been the regional headquarters of a conglomerate firm which no longer required it.

The staff and resources of the Northern Branch moved in during January, 1978 and Head Office during the following February and March. The move freed up resources, reduced costs and increased efficiency as all the Library's book stock was now shelved under one roof.

Membership of NLB continues to be free. The Library's lending stock now comprises around 46,000 titles in Braille, Braille music, Moon-type and Large Print formats. Typically 170,000 volumes are issued in a year, posted out across the UK and overseas. NLB remains a charity reliant on the generosity of its supporters - it receives no direct government funding.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

I am pleased to say that there is an increasing amount of public art and information boards on the streets of Stockport. This is an example I discovered only recently. Though large and in a public place, its position in a corner of Castle Yard mean that it is easily missed, which is a shame.

Do seek it out, but for those who haven't the time, here is the text. (I trust that SMBC won't mind me quoting it.)

You are standing in Castle yard, so called because it is believed to be the site of the town's castle as referred to in a chronicle of the reign of Henry II.

The existence of the castle and the creation of the Stockport barony in the late 12C marked an important landmark in an upturn in Stockport's status and it's development.

The stone walls of the castle were demolished by the late 1770's and the site was levelled in the 1770's in preparation for the construction of Castle Mill.

Subsequent levelling was for the demolition of the mill in 1841 and the creation of a cattle market in 1853.

The design of the mill was unusual in that it was round. Most mills were rectangular. The design looks to have been influenced by being on the site of the castle.

Castle Mill was the first water powered cotton mill built in Stockport. The water wheel was located within an external wheelhouse. Water was fed to the wheel along a branch dug from an existing tunnel, which supplied mills located nearer the river. A further tunnel channelled the water back to the original supply.

The wheelpit was revealed during the recent excavation works. It shows a large rock cut feature containing various rock cut niches, slots, basal channels and two tunnel openings that appear to have been structural components of the 18C water wheel housing and water flow control system.PUBLIC ART Created by Mike Woods

The artist was asked to base the design on a water wheel, following the discovery of the original wheel pit.

Mike explains that the work used, as a starting point, the water wheel which once powered Castle Mill. He goes on to explain:

"It now powers a banner that depicts the ordinary workers of the late 18C, caught up in a mad whirl of machines and knotted tangled threads coupled with frenzied activity as they strive to adapt new technologies and the need to keep pace with the constantly changing new industrial age."

For more details on:the water tunnels under Stockport;the 18C battles for water supply;the Trust's role in locating and identifying the waterwheel pit; andhow the pit and a medieval well now lie beneath TK Maxx - then talk to Underground Stockport researchers, such as: Kevin, Coral, Allan, Jim or Steve.Click here for a Stockport Express article which tells some of the story.

They are all working in groups, and doing different types of embroidery. You can see from one of the pictures that most have finished their needlecases and are now beginning to embark on the first items which will be displayed in the house.

The images show the Stitchers looking through the many reference books for designs, enjoying the odd cup of tea and chat, and the buzz of the room when everyone meets together. Also - note the glasses of sparklies from the evening session at Christmas!

Saturday, January 21, 2006

I found this page as one of the adverts on this site. I thought it would be of interest to some of you so I am bringing it to your attention. I would rather you went there via the advert, so the Trust earns a bit of money for each click, but the advert may not be there when you need it.Torve

Let's test the canal waterThe feasibility of re-opening the canal from Ashton to Broadstone Mill Reddish depends on the results of the suil used to in-fill the canal (not water as suggested by the headline). There is 80,000 cubic metres of the stuff. It it's contaminated that will be a mjor problem. Under modern law, if the in-fill is contaminated with even just trace elements of the noxious chemicals which were common-place in manufacturing until relatively recently, the preferred strategy is to leave it where it is. Once disturbed, then the contractor becomes responsible for removing, moving and containing the contaminated soil which can be very expensive.For more details on the history of the canal and the plans for re-opening, see the latest edition of Stockport Heritage Magazine.

Land to be sold to fund squareWhere the Cannon Cinema once stood on the A6, is an attractively landscaped area linking Garrick Theatre, the Hat Works, and an excellent Chinese Buffet with the Plaza, Stockport Village and St Peter's. The Council plans to sell this land to ehlp fund the St Peter's Masterplan.Sandy Penfold, Assistant Director of Regeneration, is quoted as saying, "The original purchase and demolition of the Cannon Cinema was funded through European money with the intention that it would be temporarily landscaped to allow for future development."However, when any open space has been there for a while, it has certain beneficial characteristics. So we wanted to make sure any development would allow for the creation of a better public space.""St Peter's Square will become an important nucleus for the town's evening economy. So a restaurant would be appropriate but it could also be used for office space."It does seem counter-productive to build over one public space to create another public space. The explanation is that it is hoped that a new building will help shield the square from fumes and noise pollution from the A6. I thought the point of the plan was to draw people into Stockport not turn its back on the A6.

Tesco 'plan breaches' row growsThis Times article makes a big thing of a Friends of the Earth report. All the report says of Stockport is, "In Stockport, Tesco's drive to dominate has resulted in planning restrictions being ignored, with the new store 20 per cent larger than planning permission allowed." The article also refers to Forum of Private Business report, also claiming that Tesco is "too powerful, too greedy and too dominant", but no reference to Stockport. Elswhere in the times, a headline reads, "Tesco 'much needed' says councillor", this relates to Coun. Kevin Hogg supporting a new Tesco Express on Macclesfield Road, Hazel Grove.

Friday, January 13, 2006

Fusion Exhibition 14 January - 21 April This exhibition explores the creativity of communication through twenty-two sets of collaborations between designer jewellers and textile artists. It is about developing dialogues and understanding how creators from different disciplines interact to produce shared or separate objects.FREE

Thursday, January 12, 2006

A 13th to 14th century arrowhead was recovered from a medieval post pit following this summer’s excavations by Manchester University’s Archaeological Unit, in co-ordination with Mellor Archaeological Trust.

Wrought from iron, the arrowhead is 8cm long and is deliberately designed to maim humans, rather than animals.

Application has been made for a a four stoery residential development consisting of 22 apartments and associated parking. The searchable planning database was not available at time of writing, but further information can be obtained by searching for DC021771 on the searchable planning database or by visiting Hygarth House, 103 Wellington Rd South.

Vodafone have applied to erect a 13.4m mobile phone mast at Mauldeth Road/Didsbury Road, SK4 3JL. The searchable planning database isn't accessible at time of writing, but more information should be available searching for DC021801 on the searchable planning database or see the plans at Heatons Library, Thornfield Rd, Heaton Moor.

For information on the impact of phone masts, the SCRAM website is a good starting place.

CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn the former site of Adswood Tip into a giant car park for Manchester Airport are back on the agenda.The issue was debated at a planning committee meeting this week and was referred to Victoria, Bramhall and Cheadle area committees.Stockport Council originally rejected Airparks proposal in 2001 on the grounds it promoted environmentally unfriendly car use. But when the planning inspectorate overturned the decision the council said it had also changed its mind. See Stockport Express for the full story.

The Friends of Woodlands Park would like to send you seasons greetings and thank you for the support in the voting for Woodlands park early in November. We have just placed the order and we hope to see the work commence on our multi sports area in late February 2006.